RS

MEMBER DIARY

Virginia Republicans move to raise taxes!

Following Governor McDonnell’s lead, Virginia republicans are moving quickly to raise the gas tax on all Virginians.

The Governor, in an attempt to better VA transportation in the congested northern and eastern portions of the Commonwealth, proposed dropping the 17 cent per gallon gas tax and replacing it with an across the board tax increase of almost 1% on every item sold in Virginia. He also proposed other fee increases.

The Governor’s proposal isn’t going to pass the Republican legislature.

But State Senator Steve Newman (R-Lynchburg) has taken the bill and ran with it.

I fear it will pass.

While Newman has dropped other fee increases, he has sponsored a bill to drop the 17 cent gas tax and replace it with the 5% sales tax. As Newman notes, this works as a tax decrease today.

But as the price of gasoline continues to rise, it quickly turns in to a price increase.

Consider that gas in central Virginia is currently hovering around $3.25 per gallon. Thus, the 17 cents tax would be replaced with a 16 cent tax per gallon. However, as soon as gas hits $3.50 – the 5% sales tax has the consumer paying 17.5 cents per gallon. And when gas hits $4.00 a gallon? A 20 cent tax increase. And on and on.

Meanwhile, Republicans politicians in DC continue to talk about bombing Iran while Democrats continue to discuss higher taxes on carbon.

The Tea Party rose in Virginia following Obama’s 2008 victory where Republicans picked up the Governor’s mansion, Senate Seats and a 2-1 majority in the House of Delegates. Now these same Republicans are working hard to raise our taxes.

What is even worse, is Senators like Steve Newman who represent central Virginia, but seem to be putting the interest of Northern Virginia ahead of their own constituencies. Republicans shouldn’t sponsor tax increases. I realize this is easier than cutting money from other places in the budget to pay for roads, but cuts have to be done. Republicans need to learn to live within their means and not raise taxes on those of us trying to pick up our kids and go work.

Virginia doesn’t need a Republican tax increase.

State Senator Newman should be ashamed of himself. Feel free to give his office in Richmond a call at: (434) 385-1065